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bklyncowgirl

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61. This is an inflammatory headline. Read the interview. It was the Pope's advisors who said that.

Mon Jul 14, 2014, 06:53 AM

Jul 2014

"Francis also condemned child sex abuse as a “leprosy” in the Church and cited his aides as saying that “the level of paedophilia in the Church is at two percent”.

“That two percent includes priests and even bishops and cardinals,” he said.

Admittedly it's a matter of translation but what Francis seemed to be saying was that his people assured him that it was only 2%. The Pope clearly did not reassure anyone, seemed skeptical that the numbers were so low and sounded very serious about addressing it.

It also seems to me that this is a far more intractable problem than let's say the reforming the finances of the Vatican Bank. That is a limited, solvable problem. Child molesters and the bishops and cardinals who protect them are an integral part of the church and its culture--a culture which sees sexual relations between consenting adults outside the bond of matrimony as a sin yet which forbids its' priests to marry. There is an entire network woven into the fabric of the Catholic Church, I'm sure even among the Pope's advisors, maybe even the same guys who are telling him it's only 2%.

How does a well-meaning leader deal with that level of evil?

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Highlight:

Pope Francis reassures the faithful: Only 2 percent of Catholic clergy are pedophiles [View all] DonViejo Jul 2014 OP

Oh, only 2% that's all? Then there's no need to worry. SummerSnow Jul 2014 #1

Yep. My first thought was, "Whew, that's all huh?....... socialist_n_TN Jul 2014 #13

In fairness... DeadLetterOffice Jul 2014 #42

Clergy have confessions. graegoyle Jul 2014 #60

Oh, my. hlthe2b Jul 2014 #2

+1 Baitball Blogger Jul 2014 #17

Is this a joke?nt bravenak Jul 2014 #3

No. Apparently it's a real story... DonViejo Jul 2014 #6

Yeah - and just how long Plucketeer Jul 2014 #19

In all fairness the Vatican has all the information already lunatica Jul 2014 #21

I doubt that... DonViejo Jul 2014 #29

OK let me put it this way lunatica Jul 2014 #34

There is no way he can 'know'. bravenak Jul 2014 #30

The 2% is just the ones they know about... awoke_in_2003 Jul 2014 #33

Naw, the 2% he is referring to are just the scumbags that actually got CAUGHT. Bette R. Daize Jul 2014 #56

Oh wow "definitely is a problem but it is not a major one" ????? mountain grammy Jul 2014 #4

I believe he was refering to the problem of celibacy. DCBob Jul 2014 #48

That's one out of fifty. That didn't prove the point that he hoped it would. nt ladjf Jul 2014 #5

This number means nothing to a child who's being abused perdita9 Jul 2014 #7

Yes, this is THE most important point. JNelson6563 Jul 2014 #10

If he's that certain of the numbers, why are they not routing those criminals out at once? Bluenorthwest Jul 2014 #8

+1 DeadLetterOffice Jul 2014 #43

I call BS... Bryce Butler Jul 2014 #9

Unless one of them's fiddling you, in which case it's 100% . . . Journeyman Jul 2014 #11

Hmm... davidthegnome Jul 2014 #12

Your courage is greatly to be admired, and I thank you for sharing. classof56 Jul 2014 #20

Thanks.Very well stated. mahannah Jul 2014 #37

It makes me wonder what they were expecting if 2% does not equal a "major" problem. Gore1FL Jul 2014 #14

He still won't defrock Finn... Archae Jul 2014 #15

There's something like 400,000 priests Android3.14 Jul 2014 #16

What a relief. Here I was worried it was up to 2.2%. truthisfreedom Jul 2014 #18

Even 2% is too many. nt avebury Jul 2014 #22

Can I reduce my tithe by 2% Cartoonist Jul 2014 #23

Is the Catholic Church SamKnause Jul 2014 #24

I think traditionally it's been pedophiles have turned to the clergy. nt valerief Jul 2014 #51

If true, defacto7 Jul 2014 #59

Yep. valerief Jul 2014 #65

I accuse the Pope of being open about the problem and doing something about it! onehandle Jul 2014 #25

doing something? whatthehey Jul 2014 #69

Oh good! liberalmuse Jul 2014 #26

"Hardcore" pedophiles DeadLetterOffice Jul 2014 #45

Oh my god. liberalmuse Jul 2014 #57

Scary. smirkymonkey Jul 2014 #70

That is "reassuring?" Kath1 Jul 2014 #27

That's like the (awful) punchline to a really bad joke. Solly Mack Jul 2014 #28

This is an irresponsible headline, I think MannyGoldstein Jul 2014 #31

One chance in fifty is still a hell of a lot of priests, considering how many there are jmowreader Jul 2014 #32

Oh, well, I guess that makes it ok then. Arkana Jul 2014 #35

Seems to me we are taking the Pope's words a bit out of context. PatrickforO Jul 2014 #36

Oh oh. I have to correct my math above. In 2008 there were 409,166 priests, not 45,000. PatrickforO Jul 2014 #39

True and I don't see anywhere where he was reassuring that it is only 2% treestar Jul 2014 #66

I'm chuckling over "clerics can marry � under Vatican tutelage.' toby jo Jul 2014 #38

2% they know about CanonRay Jul 2014 #40

2% is the average for ALL men. happyslug Jul 2014 #44

I did not know that CanonRay Jul 2014 #49

Assuming the pope isn't lying skepticscott Jul 2014 #54

You have NOT done much CYS work have you? happyslug Jul 2014 #63

Do they check a box? GeorgeGist Jul 2014 #41

Before we go one, 2% is the average for all males. happyslug Jul 2014 #46

That title is misleading... Pope Francis didnt use the word "only". DCBob Jul 2014 #47

2% my ass. nt valerief Jul 2014 #50

Truly the dumbest, stupidest, thing out of a world leader since>>>>>>>>>>>>>>????? Stuart G Jul 2014 #52

That's a misleading headline. Beacool Jul 2014 #53

So is he planning to label them? DeSwiss Jul 2014 #55

There's some question about the figure caraher Jul 2014 #58

This is an inflammatory headline. Read the interview. It was the Pope's advisors who said that. bklyncowgirl Jul 2014 #61

So, only 20000 of them? Helen Borg Jul 2014 #62

Probably similar to the number of U.S.A. football coaches. hunter Jul 2014 #64

He's the only Pope, in my lifetime, that I think will actually address this unthinkable problem. WhoWoodaKnew Jul 2014 #67

The math: If 2% of all Catholic priests are pedophiles, and each pedophile priest Zorra Jul 2014 #68